The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has dimmed the hope of Buruji Kashamu as the Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Kashamu recently flagged off his governorship campaign, picking Dr. Reuben Abati as his running mate against the wish of the PDP leadership that described him as a clown.
The Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee of the PDP had also chosen Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu as the preferred candidate for the Ogun governorship election next year.
PDP had sued the Adedayo Bayo-led faction to the Court of Appeal to challenge an earlier judgment by a lower court.
Delivering the judgment on Tuesday, the three-man appeal panel, headed by Justice A.B. Bada, set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abeokuta which held that Kashamu and those who emerged from his faction were the PDP candidates for the 2019 general election.
According to the panel, which resolved the issues raised for determination in the appeal in favour of the PDP, the rights of the appellants to a fair hearing were breached as they were not properly served when the case was heard at the lower court.
Justice H.S. Samani read the lead judgment, which also had the support of Justices Bada and N. Okoronkwo.
Pending further action by the Kashamu faction, with the Tuesday judgment, Honourable Adebutu is the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State.